A colossal summer blockbuster that can rightfully be called "epic"

Rating: 7/10 (19 July 2013)

After the masterpiece that was Pan's Labyrinth and the Hellboy installments, Guillermo Del Toro (who's one of the most capable filmmakers in the industry today) has launched his first mega- blockbuster that rivals the grandness and intensity of Michael Bay's Transformers franchise itself. Now, from hearing about it and viewing the trailers left and right, Pacific Rim seemed frighteningly similar to the Transformers films, and I began to doubt the quality that'd shape the movie. Thus, my expectations weren't particularly as high as they could be. On that note, I'm here judging Pacific Rim as a full-fledged action blockbuster and nothing else. I won't be comparing it to thought-provoking dramas or hilarity-ensuing comedies. No, I'll be comparing it to action flicks, especially the Transformers series and how it actually far excels the quality of those movies.
First of all, Pacific Rim is epic in every sense of the word (though I've used that word far too excessively at this point). Its scale is colossal- beyond that of almost any summer blockbuster that has preceded it. The film promises intense and grandiose battles between gargantuan monsters and mechs/robots, and it absolutely delivers on that. Once you're engaged in one of these fights, you're able to witness the spectacular audio that erupts from the speakers as every hit taken booms in your ear as if the whole event is real. This is also meshed with the terrific soundtrack that complements the grandeur and "larger-than-life" feel of the movie.
With that being said, above all the other "pros" of this movie, there's the breathtaking visuals that few summer blockbusters can actually compare to. Seeing the colorful streets of Hong Kong and then eyeing the water splashing as a lizard fights a gigantic mech nearby delivers such a visual spectacle that anyone would feel highly satisfied with. Of course, this experience is even more wonderful if you're watching it in IMAX 3D (the way I wisely chose to see it). At moments, it actually feels like you're underwater in the deep bowels of the ocean and whatnot. There is no doubt that the production value of Pacific Rim is incredible, and that'd just be an understatement.
On top of that, there's the human aspect of the film (similar to that of the Transfomers films), which is filled with great acting, especially from Idris Elba who I must say steals the show. Everyone who's seen him on The Wire already knows what this exceptional actor is capable of. Anyways, there's a fair amount of comedy provided as well from the likes of Charlie Day and Ron Pearlman, and this time, it's actually funny. Ron Pearlman plays an arrogant tough guy by the name of Hannibal Chau, and he's just one of the other high points of the film. But then, there's the main character of the film, Travis Beckett (played by Charlie Hunnam), who's just kind of a bland individual with little personality, which is why it's easy to see how great the supporting characters are around him.
As you can see, this is where I have a little bit of complaints to state about the film. Since this is another Hollywood blockbuster, you can't be too surprised when you witness the fair share of clichés that fill the movie with the generic bully fights and rescues, etc. This is what diminished the satisfaction received from the ending- it's that it ended the way you would expect it to end; yet another predictable Hollywood action flick. And as we all well know, the ending is one of the most important elements of a film, and when a film ends typically, it just doesn't leave a good taste in my mouth. Then, there's the pacing, which seems to suffer midway through the movie as you begin to notice that the film is dragging out a little, and some are probably checking the time at that point.
Also, ignoring the special-effects audio, due to so many characters with accents in the film, it's often difficult to hear what those characters are even talking about, which messes up the story for me; at times, I felt confused as to what exactly is supposed to transpire. Furthermore, as an action movie and nothing more, Pacific Rim, without a doubt, delivers, but its not-too-memorable ending and abundant Hollywood clichés doesn't make it as decent as it could've been. Nonetheless, I highly advise anyone interested in action flicks (especially since the past year's blockbusters like Iron Man 3 and Man of Steel have been mediocre) to see the film in IMAX 3D, and only then will you appreciate it and understand what a proper action movie should truly be like.